seeking opinions

Hi everybody,

I've been really working on honing my skills lately and developing my style, etc. My layouts tend to be rather clean with a mid-amount of embellishments (i'm juuuuust getting into fiber, for example). Lately, my project has been a huuuge gift album for a friend who's soon returning from study abroad in nepal. When I finish (within the next 10 days!), her two albums will be about 100-120 pages. I've uploaded some of my favorites, as well as some others I've done this year and would really like some good, constructive feedback. Any ideas or suggestions - even criticism!

My 2005 gallery is here: http://www.scrapbook.com/scrapbook_layouts/showgallery.php/cat/4992

Any help is really appreciated, I know you all don't have time to sit and look through lo's, so if you do choose to, I want to give a great big 'thanks' in advance.

Laura Kate

i am in the middle of checking out your pages and i am leaving comments i love the gift album pages... you have a great style and i look forward to seeing more pages from you

I just looked at the link above (I did a slide show so I didn't leave comments
but I think you are doing a great job. I think that maybe once you dabble a bit more into embellishments you will lose that flat look that some of the pages have...I have that same problem....I know inking and embellishments do wonders for that. I applaud you for your work on this gift and I am sure that your friend will just love it!

thanks ladies! these gift pages are actually less embellished than some of my own tend to be, but it's hard when you don't know what's going to end up on the pages exactly!

Hey, Laura Kate! I just finished browsing through your lo gallery, and I just wanted to say that I think you've done an excellent job! I can't imagine how difficult it would be to try to make a scrapbook without knowing what pictures would go into it!

My only suggestion would be to echo what the other neighbors have already said--once you get more into embellies, stamps, etc..., it'll be easier and natural to add "dimension" to the pages. In fact, maybe you could suggest to your friend that once she gets pic put into it, she could give it back to you and let you embellish it a little bit! It's good that you're starting to get into fibers--they add a lot! Stamps, quotes/phrases, paint, stickers, ANY Making Memories embellies... they're all great ways to add to your pages. Also, I like to take common office products like paper clips, staples, etc. and paint them--it works great and it's something I usually have on hand!

What a great friend you are to do this! Have no fear! Your pages look awesome; no doubt your friend will be very impressed and blessed!

Amy

well, i don't stamp - other than m.m. foam stamps. i use paint and such. i generally hate stickers, they're generally not my style. on my own pages i use more quotes and such. titles, too! and themed embellishments! but, as noted, the pages i've been posting are mostly blank gift pages, so they're much more basic and general. and the gal i'm making it for is super-artsy, so she can add any finishing touches once she makes her own with her photos and her memories.

i've done a bunch of pages this weekend. 9 more lo's and i'll be done with the 2 albums! when i get home, i'm gonna upload some more pictures and see if anyone else has thoughts!

thanks again!

I just browsed your lo's and decided to do one big comment here. I think you're doing a great job and your friend is so lucky! I love your choice of papers and the balance of the layouts, too. The pp's in particular are pretty and yet not overwhelming--which is soooo hard to do! My own style is pretty "clean and simple" so I don't have any suggestions for improvement. IMO, with photos like your friend is bound to have, I think these pages will do their job beautifully by highlighting the photos without distracting from them. Way to go!

I think that your pages are really good. I think that the reason you feel they are plain is because they are a little formulaic. But I think that is appropriate considering you don't have the pictures to guide you. I personally start with the pictures and go from there so you are going backwards in my routine

Keep on keeeping on girl you have got it! Embellishments are not for everyone! You just have to feel good about your page and that is all that matters. This is for each of our own enjoyment. Publishing in a magazine is cool but it is not the only thing to accomplish here. You know? Anyway that is my two cents!

Keep in mind that your friend might have things from her trip that she'd want to add besides the pictures that would be the embellishments. I know when I travel to a foreign country, I keep some of the coins and little things to add to my books.

Your friend might have most of the embellishments that her album will need, and once she's added her pictures and embellishments, you can add additional embellishments that the books need.

This is just a beautiful album. I think you've done a fantastic job.. especially considering you don't have the pictures!! If someone did this for me as a gift, I would simply be blown away. Your friend is very very blessed!!

thanks for the thoughts, comments, ideas, and such!

i'm currently finishing the FINAL layout - then it'll be done! and with a whole week to spare! (thank goodness, as i have finals AND just got a call that the teacher who i'm taking a maternity leave for is being induced in the morning - instead of approx. next monday being due!)

106 PAGES!!! i'm really proud of myself for getting this done, and liking 99% of the pages.

i'm gonna take some photos of more pages and upload them. then i'll finish the final layout (which involves me making a nepali flag out of cardstock...)

thanks so much for the thoughts and comments. i'm really appreciating it, and look forward to any more you'd like to offer. i truly am grateful that you could take time and help me out

(amanda - i know they're a little formulaic. but, yeah, trying to make sure each 2pg layout hold at least 3 4x6 photos = not a whole lot of room to get spicy!)

Oh, I hope you didn't take that offensively because that is NOT how I intended it. I really think you do amazing work! I want you to understand that more than anything else!

i didn't, i didn't! don't worry! i was just agreeing! lol i've been working hard on trying to make 50some layouts that were moderately original from each other and failing. hah!

all the newer ones are now uploaded. any thoughts or comments are GREATLY appreciated.

any new thoughts?

i gave the gift albums to my friend last night. she cried. i think that's a good sign! it was so nice to know that she understood the time and effort and whatnot that went into all the pages for her.

there were a bit more than 400 spots for photos, and she said she took about 750. so i think that'll at least be a good start!